I have to suggest again that you try 60 grit sand paper. Be sure to keep fresh grit exposed and keep it moving back and forth to prevent hot spots. I like Norton’s 3X paper the best.Cherry picks up “burn” marks very easily. Even on a sharp table saw blade while cutting boards and especially with a slow moving or dull router bit. Is it possible your marks are from something causing it to overheat? Too much pressure on the heal of your cutting tool or build up waste in the sand paper grit that creates hot spots?

It may be the heel of the bowl gouge too. Its a full length gouge, and on a jet mini 1221vs, theres not a lot of room between the centerline of the bowl and the lathe bed. Its difficult for me to get it in there properly due to the length and i am surely rubbing it and probably rushing it and putting too much pressure.

Its also greenish wood, getting dried in the microwave after its pretty well roughed Out. So, some of those marks are not all the way around the bowl just on one or two sides.

Have you tried using a negative rake scraper for your finishing cuts, there is plenty “on line” to view.I often use oil as a lube at slow speed or even lathe of, go thru your grits & make sure you wipe down with a paper towel between changing grit size, I use a very thin Ondina oil put out by Shell, you could use a this paraffin CheersPete

-- Pete G: If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got